Writing goals, not holes

January 9, 201412 Comments

It’s that time of year again when people start making resolutions and worry about sticking to them, but as far as I’m concerned, this is not healthy. Yes, it’s great to set yourself up for the year ahead with some ambitious dreaming – after all, without goals and deadlines it would be difficult to maintain regular, quality output – but not when said goals are to the detriment of your sanity or your confidence.

New Year’s resolutions are usually broken in a very short space of time because they are typically unrealistic and add too much pressure. They’re also usually fuelled by negativity – don’t do this or stop that or reduce something or other. They encourage you to look for flaws and pick holes in the baby steps you’re making towards progress.

Whether it be your waistline, the amount of time spent in front of the TV or your writing time that’s in focus, resolutions tend to add a negative feel to whatever it is you’re trying to achieve. And who can work well under those conditions? I certainly can’t.

But that doesn’t mean we should float into 2014 with a devil-may-care attitude because that won’t get us anywhere. It’s our life, dreams, ambitions, careers – we have to care. But what we don’t need to do is set ourselves up for immediate failure. Instead, I suggest we first take a look at what we’ve achieved over the past year, identify where improvements need to be made and also pinpoint areas that are going well that need to be stretched/challenged even further.

My blog has been quiet for the last few weeks and that’s because I’ve been doing just that; assessing, evaluating and planning. I’ve eased myself into the new year and taken a step back to see exactly what I did well in 2013 and what I would like to improve upon. As a result, I’m raring to go and even though I was working and writing throughout the festive season, I feel refreshed and invigorated.

So what are my writing goals this year?

Securing a publishing deal is a given. I will continue to write novels and try to get them published until it eventually happens. And then I shall continue to write novels and try to secure a deal for them. And repeat. So the following 2014 writing goals are a sideline/addition to the novel writing and submission process.

To expand the reach of my short stories with publication outside of UK & Ireland (I have researched a list of eligible journals and competitions, and recorded the deadlines & start dates in my diary)
To build up a short story collection (the above goal will have an immediate, positive influence)
To overcome the fear of performance (we all hate the sound of our own voice & reading my work in public makes me want to gibber in a corner. So I’m working on performance to music with my singer/songwriter husband – now we just need to get it out there!)

Three achievable and measurable goals that can run alongside the novel writing without detriment. Easy to monitor with opportunity for expansion; no room for picking holes, thank you very much.

What about you? What are your writing goals for 2014?

Big thank you

December 24, 2013December 23, 20131 Comment

This is a quick festive blog post to say thank you all so much for your continuing support in 2013 – for taking time to read or comment on the blog, for feedback when I ask and for moral support when I don’t.

I wouldn’t be able to be as productive, focused or happy without you and I really appreciate your friendship. We all know writing is a solitary affair, and I think it’s as important as ever to maintain a friendly, supportive and inclusive environment. Thank you for the part you play.

Happy Christmas to you all and see you back here – refreshed, renewed & full of cheer – in 2014!

Three Great Short Stories

December 13, 2013December 12, 2013Leave a comment

I’ve fallen in love with the short story this year after a decade-long dalliance spent trying to understand its formidable form. Now that I’ve finally learned to accept rather than question, enjoy rather than dissect, something magical has happened and I find myself on an exciting journey where one great story leads to another and another.

I’d like to share three of this week’s discoveries with you. These stories have really spoken to me in some way, and I think they are all excellent examples of the complexity, magnificence and power of a short story.

The Way We Carried Ourselves by Molia Dumbleton, winner of the 2013 Sean O’Faolain Short Story Award, with thanks to Southword & The Munster Literature Centre.

Victory Lap by George Saunders, a ‘first chapter preview’ of his collection, Tenth of December, thanks to Bloomsbury Press.

The Enemy Within by Kirstin Zhang, 2005 Scotsman and Orange Short Story Prize winner, courtesy of The Scotsman

Enjoy! And don’t forget to give the writer your positive feedback if you can – writing can be a lonely path and a bit of praise won’t go amiss.

#ReasonsIWrite

December 2, 20131 Comment

It’s a question I’m often asked: Why do you write?

Views like these help with bum glue!

In truth, I’m not certain. It’s not an easy question to answer. Part of me wants to say because I owe a lot to books and stories; they got me through childhood. Another part wants to say because I love the challenge of creating new worlds and characters, the chance to act and react in ways outside my own experience. I guess the most honest answer is that writing is something I’m compelled to do and if I don’t, I feel like the world has gone awry.

I’ve been experimenting on Twitter with a hashtag #ReasonsIWrite. I’m always interested in other people’s motives and their approach to writing, and I thought it might be a good way to get other writers to open up, let us know what drives them to keep their daily routine of putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard.

Here are a few of my favourite replies so far…

Because I can’t juggle. #ReasonsIWrite Or play the piano… 😉 Mostly, I breathe in & writing enables me to breathe out. — Carol Lovekin (@carollovekin)

I write to express with creativity my thoughts throughout my life experiences. It helps lighten the load. Simply – #ILoveArt — Sherri (@inspireme39)

#ReasonsIWrite Because I’d end up in jail for the things I do to my characters if I did them to non-fictional people. — Dina James (@dinajames)

I can write about what I wish to happen or what I wished happened or create a whole different tale all together. #ReasonsIWrite — Annie Gray (@AnnieSoulFire)

#ReasonsIwrite: it’s my passion. I don’t really care about becoming a pro: what I aim to is reaching my own audience, however small. — Sara (@dasteroad)

So, why do you write? Do any of the above resonate?

Please reveal your own reasons in the comments below or via Twitter (using the hashtag #ReasonsIWrite) – we’d all love to know!

The Folk You Meet: Words & Whey

November 18, 20131 Comment

Living in West Cork, I meet a plethora of interesting folk and the latest to join the village is a rather interesting young woman who writes the What A Whey to Go blog. A kindred spirit in terms of being willing to take big risks for a passion, desire or gut instinct (whatever you want to call it), I am both excited and intrigued by her presence and her current journey.

We’ve only spoken a handful of times and have literally just exchanged numbers for a future coffee date, but after reading the blog of this ‘London corporate escapee turned apprentice cheese maker’, (love it!) I’m surprised to learn there are many similarities between us.

A picture perfect village on the edge of the Atlantic

From her decision to leave her well paid job in London publishing (mine was a well paid Dublin job in online poker) to follow her cheese-making dream (mine, of course, is to be a published author) to the sudden move to the same village, it seems a truly fortuitous coincidence that our paths have connected. We’ve made similar decisions, completely unawares, and ended up here.

Inspired by Pauline’s blog, I decided it was about time I dared to take a look back at my own journey. It’s almost three years since I made that dizzying decision to take the leap, so has it turned out to be what I hoped? Have I accomplished what I set out to do? Here’s the truth…

I have not secured a publishing deal (yet). There I said it. In my first year here, I completed a book, received excellent feedback from publishers with plenty of interest, but no deal. It was a hard truth to swallow at the time.

Now I can see the benefits. That may seem like a ‘yeah right, she’s just saying that to save face’ kind of thing to say, but it’s true. Of course, a book deal would have been amazing – and I still have complete faith in that book – but along the way I learned a hell of a lot about myself as a writer, the world of publishing, my writing habits and my stamina.

Thankfully, part of that learning curve involved a deletion of the arrogance that initially fuelled me, and I also figured out pretty quickly that weeping into my porridge wasn’t going to get me anywhere.

So I went away and wrote another book, a couple more 50-60K first drafts, a series of poems/short stories/flash pieces, and a couple of picture books. Far from dampening my spirits, the failure only made me more determined, and now, as my next book goes on submission, (it’s taken another two years to get here) I feel a certain amount of peace knowing that

1) the chance for publication is once again close and

2) if it doesn’t make it this time, I have another book in me. And another, until I achieve my dream.

Clouds really do have silver linings!

I know it’s possible and over the last couple of years I’ve seen some wonderful friends (both real life and online) go through similar emotional rollercoasters and eventually secure book deals – Laura J Cassidy, Louise Phillips, Susan Lanigan, Maria Duffy, Hazel Gaynor (to name but a few).

From the bottom of my heart, I couldn’t be more delighted for them and every time I hear of another signing, my heart leaps for joy. Because they deserve it, because it makes it all real and tangible.

So what does all this have to do with Pauline? Simple: I’m delighted to have met yet another intriguing, vivacious and gutsy person, someone who understands what it’s like to want something so badly that they’re willing to take risks. It’s always a joy to meet someone that reminds you of why you’re here and how far you’ve come; that although the end goal is what you’re aiming for, it’s the whole journey that counts.

If, like me, you’re still chasing your dream, keep chasing. I believe with enough dedication to your craft, determination to improve and a little bit of luck, you’ll get there. Enjoy the journey – it’s going to be wonderful.

Awards, articles, submissions…

November 7, 2013Leave a comment

Rather than always harping on about my own thoughts on writing, or my garden, or stuff I’ve been doing, I like to share interesting tidbits from others that I’ve found around the place. And the last couple of weeks has been particularly interesting so here’s a few of my findings…

Bord Gais Book Awards

Whyte Books – a cosy haven for readers and writers

It’s a week of celebration as I’ve just finished the first draft of a new novel, and I also found out the bookshop I work in has been nominated for Bord Gais Irish Bookshop of the Year after winning the Munster vote. So, here’s a massive well done to Sheila, the owner, brains and driving force behind the lovely bookshop that is Whyte Books.

Also linked to the Bord Gais Book Awards, did you hear about the new Writing.ie Short Story Award? Well if not (and I hope it’s not too late) – you have to vote! Read the six shortlisted stories over on writing.ie (six stories for free? It’s a gift!) and then support your favourite by voting on the Bord Gais website. Stories & details here.

Horror Fiction

Is anyone writing horror out there? I love horror fiction and although it competes with crime on a global scale as one of the top genres, I feel it’s still underrated and under-appreciated in the UK and Ireland. I’ve felt rather out on a limb with my attempts at literary horror fiction, but that’s probably because I didn’t know this place – the Horror Writers Association – existed! Thanks to Paul Fitzgerald, a fellow writing.ie blogger, I’ve now found a homely hub for my guilty pleasure!

Publishing opportunities

Take a look at the exciting new journal, Spontaneity, a refreshing new arts journal that’s all about inspiration, (think future submissions inspired by those selected for publication in previous issues). The first issue has the theme of Age and Beauty – details here.

As writers, we’re always looking for new outlets whether it’s competitions, journals or publishing houses. So here’s a few that stand out: firstly (you’ll have to be quick to get this one in – deadline is Nov 15th), Susan Lanigan’s free-to-enter short fiction competition Walking on Thin Ice based around ‘mental illness, stigma and oppressive institutional power’. It may be free but the judge is Dave Lordan and there are cash prizes.

Two presses that have caught my interest are erbacce press, a co-operative that makes sure all contributors receive royalties, with all money feeding back into publishing more writers, and Notting Hill Editions, the home of the essay that’s doing exciting things (it produced the gorgeous Deborah Levy Things I Don’t Want To Know essay in response to Orwell’s Why I Write). Go check them both out – they’re gorgeous.

Art meets literature

It seems that every time you think there are no more incredibly interesting ideas left to discover, some talented/forward thinking individual comes up with one! In case you haven’t heard, there’s a weird but probably very wonderful installation/project happening around the Liffey, with quotes from Joyce being washed into the grime of the river’s surrounding walls. Derek Flynn has the info here.

Writing motivation

And finally, here’s a lovely post, I am Good Enough, And So Are You by Susan Lanigan that’s bound to lift your writing spirits.

If you have any more articles, links or competitions you think should be shared, please add in the comments below! I only have a certain amount of time free for researching this kind of stuff (with most of my info through blog subscriptions, twitter, writing.ie and chatting in Whyte Books) – so I’d be delighted if you’d expand my horizons!

Autumn dreams

October 28, 2013October 13, 2013Leave a comment

This burgundy hue is one of my favourite colours and signifies autumn. Still trying to find out what the plant is called – any ideas?

Autumn is a beautiful time of year and like spring, it feels so full of possibilities. The shorter days tell our subconscious and our conscience that it’s OK for us to come in out of the cold and read a bit more book, spend extra time cooking wholesome meals, or meet and chat with friends.

Animals prepare to hibernate at this time of year and without even realising, we do the same. Especially rurally, as you’re more affected by natural light and the weather (there are no streetlights between my home and the village just over two miles away – so drinks out or visits to friends means visi-vests, torches, wellies and waterproof clothing. In other words, careful planning!).

I see autumn as a gift. It’s a time when we adjust our routines, attitudes and outlooks – and usually this means we remember to dream big. Every autumn, I write the first draft on a new novel, not knowing much about it but full of the excitement of where it may lead.

What will you be dreaming of this autumn as you let yourself wind down? And how will the season help make it happen?

Writers write, don’t they?

October 21, 2013October 13, 20133 Comments

I took this action shot out fishing a couple of weeks ago. I get a real kick out of watching them feed as we gut the day’s catch and share our feed with some feathered friends

To be a writer you have to write, that is true, but I believe that you also have to live life to the fullest to be able to write well. That means looking after your health and mental health, stimulating your curiosity and experiencing new things. You also have to make sure you have enough time out to let the ideas, characters and stories in your brain settle. Like Helen Moorhouse wrote recently, perhaps you don’t need to be writing to write!

This is a concept that I’ve struggled to come to terms with. When I gave up my city job to pursue a writing career a couple of years ago, I thought I had to sit at my desk for eight hours every day, slogging away no matter what the outcome. True, some writers do work like this, but for me, it’s not productive.

It’s taken some time to figure out and lots of jiggling and reworking of schedules, but I’ve found that after a certain amount of time, my writing suffers and my ideas channel themselves down one dull, lonely path.

Like Niamh Boyce and many others, I’m an intuitive writer, so I write a ‘draft zero’ without any planning and see where the characters and story lead me. I often have a name or a feeling, a sense of what a character is experiencing in my mind, but other than that, it’s a free for all. And sitting there for eight hours in a day does not work if you write this way.

Sometimes I get a powerful writing bug and my bum-glue seems more adhesive than usual – I can certainly edit/redraft for long periods of time – but when I’m starting a new project, I tend to write in bursts. An hour here, half hour there, two hours later. I split the writing up over the day (especially in winter when the nights are long) and let my brain unwind and tick over in between.

Sometimes I’ll be helping with hay bales, sometimes I’ll be taking walks and admiring the newly cut silage or painting big X’s on the wrapper to deter the crows.

I take walks, swim, garden, cook, read, watch films and documentaries, I go fishing or meet up with friends for tea, then start all over again. This means that each time I sit down, my brain is recharged, my body energised and it’s like I’m writing for the first time that day.

I do work as well – part time in a bookshop and part time with my own social media business – and these provide a good distraction, balancing out the hours spent alone at a computer. Work makes me appreciate all the free time I have to write, but I still dream of the day when I can just write.

I attempt to take days off from both writing and work to fully recharge, but I find this extremely difficult to do and if I don’t elope from the village for the day then I’ll find myself doing one or the other (usually both).

So what’s this post all about? I guess it’s two things. Firstly – it’s OK not to be writing sometimes and secondly – we all have to find a way to write that works for us.

I’m always interested in the writing process and how other writers handle their work/life balance, how they keep motivated and get the best possible results. Does any of the above sound familiar to you or do you work completely differently? Are you an eight hours a day person or a short bursts devotee? I’d love to hear all about it.

Coastal Treasure

October 14, 2013October 13, 20133 Comments

One of the beauties of living near the sea is being able to go fishing. And, of course, exploring. Although the nearby rock pools don’t hold much more than sea urchins and winkles when the tide goes out, I’m lucky enough to have some shrimp pots at my disposal and these are wonderful for investigating the creatures that live around the shoreline.

We do use the pots for catching shrimp – they usually yield enough for one meal for two per haul – but sometimes the weather can be too erratic or else we’re too busy to get out with the tides and we don’t get to collect the pots for a week or more. This is usually bad for two reasons: 1) the pots get damaged due to stormy weather or 2) the pots get damaged due to crabs trying to snip their way in (or their way out).

Yesterday, we hauled the shrimp pots after a three week stint in the sea. We let any shrimp go and instead, recorded our findings – our coastal treasures! Here’s what we accidentally collected…

This eel-like butterfish like muddy shores and is a staple food for the black cormorant, a frequent sight along the Irish coast.

The Common Blenny has little buggy eyes and a lovely greenish hue that makes it easy for hiding in seaweed. You might find him in rock pools.

This is the first Common Brittle-star I’ve ever seen, even though they’re meant to be widespread. It took a bit of patience for it to open all its legs after handling, but it was worth the wait!

A master of disguise, the spider crab is often overlooked but I think he’s a handsome chap!

I thought this looked more like a flat-backed millipede but they only live on land. A ragworm is the closest I can get to this creature of many legs! Surprisingly slow moving.

The Velvet Swimming Crab lives up to his name & is amazing to watch in the water. I love the shape and designs on his back legs – aren’t they gorgeous?

No idea what this is – still trying to figure it out. When you try and remove it, it spits water at you. Answers in the comments section please!

This edible brown crab was a gift from a local fisherman and I’m sorry to say, yes, he did go in the pot – but he was delicious.

But just in case you think it’s all fun and games, you do have to be careful. This was caused by a damaged shrimp pot. It caught me in several places as I pulled it in. Still, it was worth it for the investigations!

Innovation & Quality: Writing for Children with WritersWebTV

October 4, 20135 Comments

The brains behind the operation…

I recently watched the inaugural live online writing workshop ‘Finding the magic: Writing for Children’ – an innovative world first from WritersWebTV, presented by Vanessa O’Loughlin of writing.ie.

Although I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’ve had lots of wonderful experiences linked to Vanessa – including finding my agent (Sallyanne Sweeney), the place I now call home and as a result, my husband! – so I was pretty certain that it would be a quality affair.

Although it’s not usually easy, I was willing to write off a day of writing to immerse myself in advice from talented authors and industry professionals. The list was impressive, with the likes of Michael Emberley, Marie Louise Fitzpatrick, Norton Vergien, Oisin McGann and Meg Rosoff on hand to share their knowledge of the industry and writing tips, answer questions and set short writing tasks.

Attend the workshop from anywhere in the world? A great idea!

Even though some parts of the workshop weren’t relevant to me – I already have an agent, for instance – I dipped in and out, garnering bits of knowledge that made me stop, think and at times, rethink my own approach. I also found myself enjoying snippets of advice that I could relate to, stuff that left me nodding and smile knowingly.

The set up was impressive and multi-faceted, featuring the host Vanessa, an in-house audience and an interactive online global audience with a two-way communication stream via twitter, facebook and email. Despite the fact that the workshop was online, it maintained an inclusive and personal feel and I feel the positive feedback they’re receiving is well deserved.

Covering everything from animation to publishing, illustration to collaboration, finding an agent to finding your voice, this was something I had never experienced before and didn’t really believe could actually be done – at least, not to this standard.

I don’t want to spoil it for you – those of you who missed it and are serious about your writing career can buy it online & watch it for yourself – but here are a few of my favourite bits I’d like to share, to give you a taster…

“The sign of good writing is to take a feeling and put it down on paper convincingly – being able to create suspense is important and make sure it’s not boring for the child.” Michael Emberley

“Write, rework, return to your work – time lapse enables mistakes to jump out at you. It took me 14 years to write one of my books and get it right – it was turned down by same publisher 3 times, and taken on the fourth occasion. Not rushing is vitally important.” Marie Louise Fitzpatrick

A good agent will understand the market, will know gaps in a publisher’s list and have good contacts within the publishing industry. They’ll also help you work on your book, matching your script to the right editor. If you’re lucky enough to get an agent, it’s important you feel the agent understands your book – they have your vision.” Polly Nolan

“You don’t need a lot of description but you do need the right words – but trust in your reader and leave some things to their imagination. What you leave out as important as what you leave in.” Meg Rosoff

Social Media: providing a two-way stream during the workshop

This is just a taste of what was on offer, but if you can imagine an entire day – from 10am till 4pm – of such gems, with the chance to interact via twitter, facebook and email and have your questions answered by industry professionals, then you’ll understand why I’m highly recommending the next few workshops.

Getting to the Heart of it: Writing Women’s Fiction Tuesday, October 15^th
Crime Pays: Writing Crime Fiction Wednesday, October 30^th
Getting Published Saturday, November 9th

I’d love to know who else tuned in to the first workshop and what you thought of it. And who’s tuning in next time? Even if you don’t write in those genres, you may pick up something useful as the information is always transferable and as writers, we can always improve.